Everything started three months ago, when I accidentally ran into my husband’s ex-wife in the elevator. “Oh, you’re Trung’s new wife, right? We’re neighbors now!”

I remember once when it was pouring rain—she even texted my husband asking him to come to the supermarket to pick her up, even though it was only a few hundred meters away.
I never imagined my married life could become this complicated just because of a neighbor. And she isn’t a stranger at all—it’s my husband’s ex-wife. I have no idea why, but even though she knew perfectly well that my husband and I lived in this apartment building and even knew exactly which floor we were on, she still insisted on renting a unit and moving into the very same building—on the very same floor.

Everything began three months ago, when I accidentally ran into my husband’s ex-wife in the elevator. “Oh, you’re Trung’s new wife, right? From now on we’re neighbors!” — her smile at that moment startled me. It turned out she had rented the apartment directly opposite ours.

When my husband heard the news, he just shrugged and said they had nothing to do with each other anymore, so she could live wherever she wanted.

From that day on, the three of us ran into each other quite often. Every time she stepped out her door, she was dressed up to the point of being gaudy. Once, when she saw me taking out the trash, she smirked and pretended to be on the phone with a friend, going on and on about how great it was after leaving her husband—no need to wait on anyone. At first, I didn’t care much; to be honest, she and I didn’t know each other at all. I also knew my husband didn’t have the slightest bit of feeling for his ex anymore, so I didn’t see her as a threat I needed to watch out for.

But then her constant phone calls started to really annoy me.

Ever since she moved here—maybe because she was near her ex—she seemed to forget that he’s someone else’s husband now. She bragged about being single and free, yet couldn’t handle basic household tasks; at the drop of a hat she’d coquettishly ask for favors.

It was always, “Hey, could you come help me hang this picture?” and “Could you fix my sink for me?” The thing is, you can easily hire someone to do these jobs, but she kept insisting on asking my husband.

Things got worse when she developed the habit of ordering food and then asking my husband to go downstairs and pick it up for her. There were nights when it was already 10 p.m. and our doorbell would still ring because she wanted my husband to come fix a light switch. I remember one time when it was pouring rain—she even texted my husband to pick her up from the supermarket, even though it was only a few hundred meters away.

This nuisance finally pushed me to act. I spoke frankly with my husband.

“So what, are you planning to be a husband to both me and your ex?”

My husband frowned and said I was talking nonsense, but when I listed all those issues, he grew pensive. The problem is, he’s often so easygoing that unless someone points it out, he doesn’t realize there’s a real problem.

“I’ll be blunt: I don’t want you getting entangled with your ex-wife at all. Even ordinary ‘helping out’—I don’t like it. Call me petty if you want, but I don’t like my husband being nice to other women, especially his ex.”

My husband agreed and promised to just ignore his ex instead of being overly accommodating like before.

Gradually, thanks to my firmness, things improved. My husband backed me completely; instead of politely deflecting, he turned her down flat.

After being snubbed a few times by her ex, she got the message and hired repairmen when needed. We still live on the same floor, but everything has become clearer and more comfortable.

We’ve run into each other in the elevator a few times, and she still puts on that superior, smug attitude with me—but honestly, I don’t care. Sometimes I even feel sorry for her. After a divorce, you’re supposed to toughen up and live your life, not cling to the past so tightly that you can’t let go.